The perks of a road trip are being able to carry as much stuff as you want (no weight limit) and going wherever your heart desires (because... you have a car). Since I wanted to plan a summer vacation around camping and hiking, a road trip made the most sense.

I love the mountains and my boyfriend Mike enjoys being by the water, so Acadia National Park was an easy choice to please both of us. We planned our trip with Acadia in mind but while we were looking for other places to stop along the way, I saw a big green area on the map in New Hampshire and we decided to check it out. Somehow I wasn't aware that White Mountain National Forest is a gorgeous mountain range with the highest peak in the northeast.

Keep reading for the entire itinerary of our eight-day road trip from Virginia to Acadia and back with a few great stops along the way.

Day 1: Drive to White Mountain National Forest

The day began at 6 AM when Mike and I left his house in Fairfax, Virginia. We drove ten hours (ugh! traffic was bad) to Hartford, Connecticut for a brief stop to pick up food and supplies and continued the last hour and a half to our destination. When we reached White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, we popped into the visitors center to purchase a trail map before checking into Maple Haven Campground for the night.

The long drive wore us out, so we set up camp, took a little walk along the river, cooked chicken with onions and sweet peppers over the campfire and went to bed.

Riverside camping at Maple Haven Campground in New Hampshire

Day 2: White Mountain National Forest

The morning began with campfire eggs, onions and sausage with avocado on the side. We packed up camp and went to the Falling Waters Trail for a little morning hike to see a couple waterfalls.

We had plans of hiking to a shelter for backcountry camping that night, but an access road was closed and a forest ranger discouraged us from going. Instead, we called and reserved the last available tent site at Tarry Ho Campground. (This turned out to be our favorite campground of the trip because of a very clean bathroom with free showers.)

For lunch, we made turkey avocado wraps on a picnic table near Willey House Pond and relaxed before our hike up Mount Willard. It was a steep trek, but the views were absolutely incredible.

Views from Mount Willard in White Mountain National Forest

The day was fading fast, but we wanted to do one last hike to a waterfall recommended by the visitor center's staff. The hike to Arethusa Falls was another short but steep one. Since we didn't have much time, we really pushed ourselves and made it to the falls in about 35 minutes. And... WOW! I hadn't looked up pictures or reviews of Arethusa Falls, so I had no idea how big and beautiful this waterfall is. If you go to White Mountain National Park, you should most definitely end your day with a visit to this waterfall to swim in the pools at the base. Mike and I were so thrilled that we added this hike to our day in the White Mountains!

We got back to camp pretty late and were too exhausted to cook dinner. Mike ate a can of ravioli and I made a bag Backpacker's Pantry Corn Chowder. Not glamorous, but we didn't go to bed hungry.

Arethusa Falls in White Mountain National Forest

Day 3: Acadia National Park

A day that was equal parts sad and exciting. While we were eager to see Acadia National Park, we loved White Mountain National Forest and did not want to leave. Since we had a nonrefundable campsite in Acadia already booked, we woke up early, ate a couple hard boiled eggs and protein bars and drove North to Maine. We stopped in Augusta to eat lunch and replenish our supplies.

When we arrived at Quietside Campgroundon Mount Desert Island, we quickly set up camp and got back in the car to explore. We checked out the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse then I walked around Fernald Point while Mike did some fishing there.

Back at the campsite, we made a delicious salmon dinner with roasted potatoes cooked in the cast-iron skillet over the fire. And, of course, had s'mores for dessert.

A camping necessity

Day 4: Acadia National Park

Another morning of packing up camp and hitting the road. By this point, we'd gotten really good at setting up and breaking down our campsite quickly and efficiently. We ate protein bars for breakfast and got an early start on the Acadia Mountain Trail. This hike is a good option on the western side of Mount Desert Island and offers great views of Sommes Sound. I'd suggest going early like we did. As we were finishing our hike, we passed quite a few groups just getting started.

View of Sommes Sounds from the top of Acadia Mountain

Acadia Mountain

But the best part of the morning was the reward after the hike. Directly across the street from the Acadia Mountain Trailhead and is a short path to Echo Lake Ledges. At the beginning of the trail, there's even a bathroom where you can change out of sweaty hiking clothes and into a bathing suit. Jumping from the ledges into the water was so refreshing after a hot July hike, but the best part was that we had the whole spot to ourselves (we didn't get so lucky on our second visit to the ledges).

Echo Lake Ledges in Acadia National Park

We checked into Hadley's Point Campgroundand set up camp, ate turkey wraps for lunch, and relaxed in the shade during the hottest part of the day. This was the biggest and busiest campground, but since we were only around camp to eat and sleep, we didn't mind.

Later in the afternoon, we hiked the Beehive Loop Trail and it was so much fun! Seriously. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time. My adrenaline was rushing as I climbed the iron rungs and crossed narrow bridges to get to the top. At the summit, we took in great views of Acadia, The Bowl, Sand Beach, and the ocean. We continued down the loop to The Bowl, a clear mountain pond, for a swim.

The Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park

On top of the Beehive

Views f Acadia on the Beehive Loop Trail

After the loop, we walked to Sand Beach for some time by the ocean... the freezing cold Atlantic Ocean. It was too cold for me to swim, but there was soft sand and nice views. When leaving the beach, it started to rain and we caught a gorgeous rainbow at the south end of the island at Boulder Beach.

For dinner back at camp, we roasted sausages and potatoes with a side salad... and a couple s'mores.

Day 5: Acadia National Park

We woke up in the morning feeling so relaxed because we didn't need to pack up camp! This was the only time on our trip that we were sleeping in the same place for two nights, so we used our extra time to cook a big breakfast over the campfire: bacon, eggs and sauteed onion with avocado on the side.

Campfire breakfast

I'd heard good things about Jordan Pond, so we set out to hike the loop around the pond and quickly realized that it wasn't going to be enough for us. It's a nice stroll, but we were used to getting our hearts pumping and sweat pouring each morning so we changed plans and hiked the nearby Pemetic Mountain.

I didn't know what we were getting into or how long this hike was. I saw the trailhead listed on the map and Mike said: "Let's go." This four-mile loop was a rugged climb on open face granite with the sun beating down on us. We said we wanted a sweat. Well, we got it! I did love this hike and especially enjoyed the panoramic views of Jordan Pond, the ocean, and the surrounding islands.

Halfway up Pemetic Mountain

Near the top of Pemetic Mountain with views of Jordan Pond

I was quite exhausted after the Pemetic Mountain Loop and ready to reward myself. We scarfed down bacon turkey wraps back at the car and then visited the infamous tourist attraction of Jordan Pond House for the popovers. We didn't know what popovers were, but were told we needed to try them!

A popover is a light hollow roll served with butter and jam. While you can never go wrong with bread and jam, I don't think Jordan Pond House as a must-do on your Acadia itinerary. The popovers were good, but definitely overpriced and not worth the hype. Our campfire food was much better!

Popovers and chai tea at Jordan Pond House

Then, we wanted to go back to our favorite place for a swim... Echo Lake Ledges. Take my advice and go to these ledges instead of the crowded Echo Lake Beach. There are limited options for swimming in Acadia, and this is one of the best!

After our swim, we drove up Cadillac Mountain for the sunset. At 1,530 feet, it's the tallest mountain on Mount Desert Island and the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard. Many people head here for sunrise, but I'm not that much of a morning person so we opted for sunset instead. It's also a popular hike, but since there's an option to drive to the summit, hiking Cadillac Mountain was less appealing. I preferred hiking to summits in the park that can only be reached on foot.

We snacked on pepperoni and wheat thins, drank a spiked seltzer and watched the sun go down behind the mountains. It was the perfect end to our time in Acadia.

On top of Cadillac Mountain

Sunset at Cadillac Mountain

Day 6: Freeport & Portland, Maine

We woke up and made our final campfire meal: eggs, onions, and potatoes in the cast iron. I really miss these meals. There's something special and more rewarding about eating a meal cooked over a fire you built yourself.

We packed up the camp for the last time and drove south. Our first stop was Red's Eats in Wiscasset. The roadside stand is known for the best lobster rolls in Maine so I was set on trying one. Mike wasn't too happy about standing in the hour-long line in the sun, but we were committed.

The lobster rolls were $25 a piece and piled high with big chunks of fresh meat on a buttered, grilled New England–style hot dog bun. They were absolutely delicious. The fried shrimp we ordered as a side was also amazing.

I'm glad we went, but would I wait in the line again? Honestly, probably not. I recommend you try it out for yourself, but I'm sure there are lobster rolls found elsewhere that are just as good with less of a wait time.

Lobster Rolls at Red's Eats

Long line at Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Maine

After lunch, we stopped in Freeport to visit the L.L. Bean. Flagship Store. I had no idea that this was more of a campus with four other L.L. Bean stores: Home, Outlet, Bike, and Boat & Ski stores each have their own buildings. If you go, don't skip the outlet store for the best deals.

Eventually, we arrived in Portland and checked into theWestin Portland Harborview for a luxurious night of hotel life after five nights of camping. We walked down the road and stumbled upon live music, pizza and beer at Slab and needed nothing more... well, until we realized we also needed Beal's Old Fashioned Ice Cream. Try a scoop of the Maine blueberry!

Slab Pizza in Portland, Maine

Day 7: Portland, Kennebunk, Portsmouth

We woke up to a gloomy day in Portland so when the hotel offered us free room service breakfast (due to making us a wait an hour the night before at check-in), we gladly accepted.

We then checked out the Portland Head Lighthouse and endured the drizzle while wandering some of the trails in that area.

Portland Head Lighthouse

Next stop: I really wanted to see the beach. We drove along the shore and eventually found free parking at Ferry Beach. This was the perfect little beach for a short walk along the water while watching fishermen dig for clams.

Ferry Beach

Back on the road, the sun was finally starting to shine by the time we pulled into the little town of Kennebunk. We had a good seafood lunch at Allisson'sand walked around town to check out some of the beachy shops.

If I were to do it over again, I would've scheduled a whale watching or lobster boat tour for this stop on our trip.

That evening, we redeemed my free night as a Marriott credit card holder at the Fairfield Inn in Amesbury, but we drove the 20 minutes back into Portsmouth, New Hampshire for dinner. We settled on beers and a meal at Portsmouth Brewery. They're known for their mussels and they were delicious!

Mussels and a beer flight at Portsmouth Brewery

Day 8: Drive back to Virginia

Sadly, this was the last day of our trip. We woke up, had continental breakfast and hit the road for a nine-hour drive back to Virginia.

Overall, I am so happy that Mike convinced me to take a road trip for our summer vacation. Because we camped, cooked most of our meals, and used hotel points, the trip was relatively inexpensive. We spent less than $1,000 altogether (gas, tolls and lobster rolls were some of the highest expenses!).

Did I miss any good stops on the trip? Please tell me! I'd love to redo this vacation another time and I highly recommend you recreate it for yourself!

I never turn down an opportunity to visit a new place. That's why I visit people in different cities, tag along on friends' business trips, and try to make the most of my own work travels. I have no intention of "quitting my job to travel the world" or "quitting my job to become a full-time blogger" (I see these blog post headlines way too often), so I'm a big advocate for #WeekendWanderlust and maximizing your travels while maintaining a standard nine-to-five.

I get the opportunity to travel for work a few times a year, so when I learned I was going to Nashville, I knew I had to make the most of it. Two days before I left, I asked my friends/followers for their recommendations and I received so many responses! As I normally do when visiting a new city, I created a Nashville map in google and tagged all of the places they mentioned. This time, I'm sharing the Nashville map with you to reference on your next trip to Music City, U.S.A.

I've broken my weekend up by the four neighborhoods I visited. I did a lot of eating, shopping, wandering and mural hunting in each of them: Downtown, 12 South, East Nashville and The Gulch.

Downtown Nashville

I was working a conference at the Music City Center, so I stayed within walking distance at the Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown(I always book SPG and Marriott hotels to maximize my points!).

Lobby views at the Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown

The hotel was nice. I loved the glass elevator overlooking the lights in the lobby, butI wouldn't choose this location unless you need to be in this neighborhood. However, the free shuttle to whisk guests around the downtown area was a good perk of staying here!

In the mornings before work, I enjoyed stopping at Frothy Monkey. The coffee shop was close to the hotel and they make a great latte and serve quick breakfasts.

Redneck Taco at Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint

While in Tennessee, I had to get barbeque. Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint is massive with GPS trackers that show food runners where you're seated. Don't let the line intimidate you, there's plenty of seating inside. Order a Redneck Taco and head up to the Beer Garden and Upstairs Bar for the best atmosphere.

If you have any room left in your stomach after Martin's, stop by Mike's Ice Cream. This old-fashioned ice cream parlor has classic and unique flavors - like banana pudding and blackberry cornbread.

One evening after work, I took the recommendation from my Lyft driver, who was not a fan of the bars on Broadway, and stopped into Gray & Dudley for a drink and appetizer. If you're looking for a unique atmosphere that's far from the honky-tonk theme, stop in here. It was the perfect place for a solo drink with some people-watching at the bar. If you're hungry, I recommend the seared octopus. Before you leave, visit the free contemporary art galleries in the attached 21c Museum Hotel.

East Nashville I wandered around East Nashville one afternoon and fell in love! When I go back, this is the neighborhood I want to explore more. It's further from downtown and more spread out but has good shopping and so many restaurants to try!

I Dream of Weenie hot dog stand

East Nashville Mural outside of Attaboy cocktail bar

A few of the favorite shops I stopped in were Hip Zipper for fun vintage finds, Project 615 for Nashville-inspired graphic tees, and Lemon Laine for natural beauty products.

12 SouthThis is a neighborhood not to skip. Plan a brunch, lunch or dinner here with plenty of time to browse the shops and see the murals.

Corner Music Mural

Mural by @RelaxMaxApparel

I've listed the locations of the murals on my map: I Believe in Nashville, Draper James Stripes, Make Music Not War, Flowers at Green Pea Salon and Tie Dye Nashville at Corner Music.

Amelia's Flower Truck outside of White's Mercantile in the 12 South neighborhood

As for shopping, your first stop should be White's Mercantile. Browse the accessories and home decor in the modern-day general store. Pick up a bar of Olive & Sinclare chocolate or rainbow bark from Bang Candy Company - they make for great gifts! Other shops to visit are Serendipity(cute gift shop with local goods), Draper James(Reese Witherspoon's clothing line) and Savant Vintage(for vintage stuff, duh!). Before leaving this area, I stopped in Five Daughters Bakery for a lemon blueberry doughnut. The doughnut was delicious but the bakery is worth a stop just for the decor and colorful patio. Bonus: they have vegan and paleo option!Craving something sweet other than a doughnut? Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream and Las Paletas are both close by!

The Gulch

I originally went to The Gulch to visit the tourist hotspot Biscuit Lovefor breakfast. The line was out the door and my time in Nashville was ticking, so I wandered into Barista Parlor instead. I am so glad I did!

Barista Parlor in The Gulch

Breakfast at Barista Parlor

My latte was delicious and the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich was simple but perfect. I loved the open atmosphere and enjoyed people watching in this space.

Two Old Hippies: good shopping in The Gulch

After breakfast, I wandered around the neighborhood a bit admiring more street art and did a little window shopping before stopping at Two Old Hippies. It's a guitar store with unique gifts and books and also some great clothes and boots. I could've walked away with a lot more than just the matchbox I bought for a souvenir!

#WhatLiftsYou wings mural by Kelsey Montague

My final stop in The Gulch neighborhood was to get a photo with the Kelsey Montague wings. I've seen @KelseyMontagueArtin a few cities now and I love how her work reflects the different locations. See the guitars and cowboy hats in this one? Just be prepared for a line when you stop by.Don't forget to check out my map of Nashville for the places I've mentioned here as well as more recommendations from my friends and followers. Let me know of any spots that should be added to the map to complete the perfect weekend in Nashville!

The NHL playoffs are in full swing. While I love watching playoff hockey, the games have got me up late at night wanting to pull my hair out! If you're a sports fan and loyal to a particular team, I'm sure you know the feeling. But as the NHL 2017-2018 season winds down, I've been reminiscing about my recent road trip through Canada following my favorite team.

Growing up in a hockey family in the suburbs of Washington DC, I had no choice but to be a Washington Capitals fan. I've worn jerseys, gone to games and watched the Caps on TV for my entire life. No Christmas in my family is complete without gifting some Caps gear.

So when my brother came up with the idea to follow the team during their multi-game run in Canada, I was definitely in. This was a different travel theme than I'm used to, but I liked the idea of doing something out of the ordinary .

There were three games over four days in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, but we extended the trip to seven days (including travel days) in order to fit in some tourism.

Day 1: Fly to Vancouver

I worked a full day in Washington, D.C. and left in the early evening to fly to Vancouver. My dad and brother had flown in earlier that day and I met them at our Air BnB in the Fairview neighborhood downtown. We were very happy with our spacious Air Bnb and its central location near the hockey arena.

Day 2: Stanley Park & Caps vs. Canucks

We spent the day wandering the city and walking many miles around Stanley Park. We followed along the seawall to the Lion's Gate Bridge and then strolled around Beaver Lake(its more of a marsh and definitely not a must-see). At this time in October, the leaves were changing and the park was beautiful.

Fall foliage in Stanley Park, Vancouver

Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada

That evening, the Caps played the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place. They didn't play their best game and suffered a bad loss (6-2.. ouch!), but it didn't ruin our night. We were happy to watch hockey in a new location with some surprisingly pleasant (and a few very drunk) fans.

Washington Capitals at Rogers Arena

Caps fans in Vancouver!

Day 3: Granville Island & Sea Plane Tour

With no hockey game, we had the full day to see Vancouver. We spent the morning at Granville Island Market and stayed for lunch. We did a little shopping and bought some souvenir chocolates to bring home to my mom. I highly recommend grabbing lunch at the market. There is something for everyone. I got a Montreal-style spinach bagel from Siegel's Bagels. So good and unlike any other bagel I've had!

For the afternoon, we booked a seaplane tour with Seair Seaplanes. Both my dad and brother have pilot experience but had never been in a seaplane. On my first visit to Vancouver the previous year, I flew in on a seaplane from Victoria and loved it.

We chose the 30-minute Vancouver City Skyline Tour in a six-seater Dehavilland Beaver. The benefit of flying with Seair instead of HarborAir is they fly small propeller planes (but maybe not a benefit if you have a fear of flying). The tour gave great views of the North Shore Mountains and circled us over Stanley Park, Howe Sound, and downtown. We even flew right over Rogers Arena where we had watched the game the previous night.

Seaplane views of Light House Park and Howe Sound in West Vancouver

View of Lion's Gate Bridge from the seaplane

Seaplane View of Downtown Vancouver and BC Place

After the flight, we stopped at Cartem's Doughnuts for a treat. If you go, get the honey parmesan doughnut. It sounds weird, but it's delicious! Trust me.

Cartem's Doughnuts in Vancouver

Day 4: Edmonton & Caps vs. Oilers

This morning, we flew Air Canada from Vancouver to Edmonton and checked in to The Westin Edmonton. It was a cold, grey day with snow flurries in the air and to be honest, the city wasn't very impressive. Very few people were seen in town and many restaurants were closed. We joked about calling it "Deadmonton" and found out later that the locals sometimes use that nickname too.

That evening, we grabbed dinner at Craft Beer Marketbefore the game. Caps played the Oilers at the new Rogers Place. Although Edmonton seemed deserted that day, the arena was packed at night. The people in Alberta sure love their hockey! Luckily, the lines to enter the area were inside so we didn't have to wait in the cold (unlike DC).

The Capitals came from behind to win 5-2 and the Edmonton fans were a lot of fun. We even met quite a few Canadian Ovechkin fans that drove in to see him play.

If you're a hockey fan, you might know about the 50/50 raffles at the games. Well, this night the total jackpot was over $165,000! That's over ten times more than the average at Caps games. And unfortunately, I didn't win but at least the Caps did!

Washington Capitals at Rogers Place in Edmonton

Wayne Gretzky Statue in Edmonton

Day 5: Calgary & Caps vs. Flames

We picked up a rental car in Edmonton and got on the road to Calgary for another game that night. On the road, we stopped for breakfast at Tim Hortons because, you know, Canada.

Caps played the Flames that night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. This area definitely showed its age and had an odd layout, but the game was probably the most fun (aside from the loss). It felt a little bit like a semi-pro game in the best way. The songs were fun, the crowd was happy and the Flames Ice Crew even passed out Halloween candy in the stands. Although it was a good time, the Caps gave up the game in the third period and we lost 2-1.

Capitals at the Scotiabank Saddledome

Day 6: Banff

While I love watching hockey, this day was my favorite of the trip! We left Calgary in the morning and drove west to Banff National Park. October in Banff is the off-season for tourists, but the bad part of this was that some roads and access points were closed.

We first drove to the beautiful Lake Louise. The lake and mountain view was incredible. If it wasn't so cold, I could've stayed there for hours. If you haven't been, add Lake Louise to your list of places to see someday!

Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada

We stopped at the Lake Louise Visitors Centers to read more about the area and pick up a map and our free park pass. Then, we hopped on the Icefields Parkway. Every direction you look, you're surrounded by gorgeous snowcapped mountains. I had definitely found my happy place in Banff National Park. We drove along the parkway stopping at almost every lookout point. While we didn't have time for longer hikes (and weren't properly dressed for the freezing temps), we made the most of our visit. And I promised myself that I'd be back for more hiking someday!

Moose Meadow on the Icefields Parkway

We drove the parkway all the way to Downtown Banff to stop for pizza at Bear Street Tavern and check out the shops. After exploring the town, we took a short drive to Bow Falls Viewpoint. And wow! Gorgeous! Right on the edge of town is this beautiful waterfall with turquoise water flowing in front of the most perfect mountain backdrop.

Bow River in Banff

Our final stop in Banff was to check out Surprise Corner and catch the view of the castle-like Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. You can climb up a long set of stairs to a lookout platform for a better view. A view so good that a couple was getting married when we arrived!

Surprise Corner in Banff

Since we had an early flight home the next morning, we went ahead and drove straight to Calgary Airport to drop off the rental car and check into the Marriott Hotel at Calgary Airport. I've never been a fan of airport hotels because I like to maximize my time in the city where I'm visiting, but I think my dad had the right idea when he suggested we stay here. The hotel was located in our terminal so we were able to rest easy and get to our early morning flight within minutes.

Day 7: Fly home from Calgary

As much as I would've loved another day in Banff or Calgary, I took an early morning flight back to DC with a short layover in Chicago.

I enjoyed traveling for a specific purpose - supporting the Washington Capitals - and would love to do something similar to this trip in the future. Maybe following the Capitals through California next season? Or attending the FIFA Women's World Cup in France? We'll see! Let me know if you have any ideas for sports-themed travel!

About Kelsey

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Hey there! I'm Kelsey. I'm attempting to create a life full of adventure and excitement. After living and traveling abroad for years, I now live a more settled life in Washington, DC while working in social media and traveling every chance I get. I'm a strong advocate for #WeekendWanderlust. Let’s adventure!